Car-washing apparatus



April 21, 1931. n. D. HEIMBURGl-:R

` GAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed llay 21, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l- UIl:

,7l/AMAS Y agiata,

April 21, 1931- D. D. HElMBuGER CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed hay 21. 192e 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 21,. 1931. D. D. HEIMBURGER CAR WASHING APPARATUS Filed may 21. 1928 s sheets-sheet s 45 illustrated af preferred and desirs. leembodi- Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES -PMEN'F OFFICE DOUGLAS D. HEIMBURGER, QF ST.,LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO MARQUETTE MANU- FQACTURING COMPANY, OF ST'. PAUL, MINNESOTA cnn-WASHING 'APPARATUS Application med nay 21,

The object of my invention is to provide an a paratus for the purpose of' washing cars by 'spray oi air, water and liquid soap, the parts of my device .being of comparatively t, simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

More particularly, itl is my object to provide a container -.1'n which liquid soap is placed, with a cover 'for the container, including .a chamber for/'receiving air and m water,vand including a means for supplying this air and water and the liquid in the tank to a spray nozzle for the purpose of washing an automobile.

Stilla further object is to provide the entire A 'lid of the tank in the form of a unit, which maybe removed from the tank for filling pur# poses, and replaced thereon for operatlon of the-device, all the air and water connections and connectionsto the spraying nozzle being ,20 attached to this unit. l 1

Still a further object is lto provide on the lid of the' tank a chamber comprising a plu, rality of compartments for receivmg the water and air and for mixing the liquid in as the container with the water before it is supf plied to the air nozzle, nieans being rovided in connection with the lid for supp ying air to. the spraying nozzleat a predetermined pressure lower than the supply of air to the cham'ber on the7 lid of the tank.

' With these an`d other objects in viev, my e Vinvention consists in 'the construction, arrangement and. ,combination of the various templated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed-outmy claims, and illustrated in the accompanying ,drawings. Althoughthe inventionpisA su pt ible of a" variety vof embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and 'illustrate more than one in order 'to give afull understanding of the invention bcth from its structural andrfunctional standppints. Accordingl I have parts of my device, whereby the objects con- 1928. Serial No. 279,261.

ment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the tank, illustrating my unit in position thereon, and connected to a spraying nozzle, whereby the entire arrangement forms a car washing apparatus.

vFigure 2 is an enlarged, sectional view through the spraying nozzle device, as taken on the line 2-2 of Flgure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, sectional view through a control valve of the nozzle for controlling the flow of the air .to the nozzle.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the central portion of a bail, which -is used for holding the lid of the tank in closed position. e Figure 5 lis an enlar ed, sectional view taken on the line 5-5' o Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 5, illustrating the top of the' container in plan elevation; and

Figure 7`is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5, lillustrating a control valve.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a tank. The tank 10 is formed with a bottom 12, having screw-'threaded bosses 14 thereon, in which leg members 16 are secured for the purpose of supporting the tank. The leg members 16 may eitend outwardly as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings for the purpose of providing a large supporting base for the tank `10. v

The top 18`of the tank is formednwith an opening 20 through which a liquid 22 may be l introduced into the tank 10. This liquid may .be a liquid soapor any other suitable liquid desirable Afor dissolving grease or dirt accumulated on the body and chassis of an auto# mobile. y .l

The, opening 2O is normally closed by a cover member 24. The cover member 24 is provided with an annular ilange26 to properly position it relative to `the opening 20,.and a the opening 20. A nut 42 is then utilized for the sides of the tank 10. Nuts 38 serve tov hold the bail 30 in proper position relative to tlie `studs 36 and yet allow the bail to rotate on t em.

The central lportion of the bail 30 is provided with a U-shaped notch 40, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, between the sides of which the thrust rod 32 Ais positioned, when t-he cover member 24 is in position to cover forcin the thrust rod 32 downwardly relative to the ail 30,.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the cover member 24 may easily be removed b loosening the nut A42 and then swinging the ail 3() in the direction of the ar,-

. row 44, whereafter the cover member may be lifted from the tank 10.

Formed on the cover member 24 is a hous ing 46 having formed therein a compartment 48.

.An air hose fitting 50 communicates with the compartment 48 and on to this fitting an air hose may be positioned and connectedwith an air compressor for supplying air under pressure to the compartment 48. This pressure may be of any valuel desirable and I have found that between one hundredand twenty-live and one hundred and fifty pounds per square inch works best.

An opening 52 is formed in the cover member 24, whereby the pressure of air in the compartment 48 may act upon the liquid 22 for creating a pressure on it for the purpose of expelling it from the container.

A reducer valve 54 is screwed into an upstanding boss on the housing 46and communicates with the compartment-48 for the purpose of receiving air therefrom. This valve is of the ordinary construction, including a pressure gauge 56 to indicate the number of pounds per square inch of air being expelled from the reducer valve 54. This air is expelled through a fitting 58, which is connected by a hose 60 to the sprayingor car washing nozzle A. By means of the reducer valve, a predetermined pressure' of air may be at all times supplied to the nozzle A, regardless of the pressure of air within the compartmentl 48.

Within the housing 46, a compartment 62 is provided.` This compartment is in communication with a pipe 64, which extends down into the liquid soap 22 for thepurpose of conducting such soap into the compartment 62. Means of communication between the corn- "shown one o the type as set forth in Fi partment 62 and the pipe 64 is afforded by an openin 66.

The ower end of the pipe 64 is provided with a strainer device, conslsting of a casing 68 having openings 70 therein and having inside of the casing a strainer screen 72. The

soap 22 after enterin the openings 70 mustpass through the strainer 72 before it can be orced into the pipe 64.

One side of the compartment 62 is bounded by a partition wall 74 and a compartment 7 6 is formed on the other side of this partition. A valve seat 78 is formed in the partition 74 and is adapted to have coact therewith a valve needle 80, whereby the `'low of liquid soap from the compartment 62 to the compart-ment 76 may be controlled as desired. rlvhe valve needle 80 is formed on a stem 82 having an enlarged screw-threaded portion 84 adapted to coact with threads in a bushing 86. The bushing 86 is screwed into the casing 46 and is provided with a packing nut 88 to prevent the leakage of liquid around the stem 82.

A hand wheel 90 is provided on the outer end of the stm for rotating the valve stem and valve needle 80 and thereby moving it ,toward or away from the' valve seat 78.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 5, the compartmentf? 6 has an extension 92,. in communi cationfwith an opening 94 through a parti tion-96. The opening 94 is formed with a ball seat 96 in its upper surface and a ball 98 coacts with this seat by gravity for forming a check valve.

After liquid soap passes through the opening 94, it enters a compartment 100.

yA compartment 102 is formed in the end of the casing 46 opposite the compartment 48, and water under pressure is supplied to this compartment ,from 'a waterhose 104. The

, fwater in this 'case may be ordinary city water, which is usually under a pressure of from fort to sixty pounds per squareinch.

The compartment 102 has an extension 106 in communication with an opening 108 formed in a partition 110. The upper endof the openin 108 is in the forin of a ball seat, and a chec ball 112 coacts with this sea-t for the purpose of forming a check valve to/y allow the inflow of water to the compartment 100 and to prevent a backflow thereof.

Theicompartment 100-is in communication with a hose fitting 114 to which is connected a hose 116. The hose 116 lextends to the washing nozzle A.

The nozzle A may be of any desired con struction in which the air from tle hose 60 and the liquid from the hose 116 may be mixed, and y way of illustration, I have res 1, 2 and 3 of my drawings. I will brie y de scribe this nozzle.

The nozzle consists of a body portion 118, in which is formed a liquid chamber 120.

ioo

f formed in a partition wall 134. A valvel Liquid entering this chamber is expelled compartment '.100ofthe'casing 46. The flow Y from the discharge nozzle 122 of the device after passing around an ejector nozzle 124 and entering a Venturi litt 126.

The discharge end'122 of he nozzle A is also Venturi-sha d.l

An air chamber 128 is formedin the body portion 118 for receiving air from the hose This chamber communicates with a chamber 130 by means ofan opening 132 memberA 136 coacts with the partition 134 for cutting olf the supply 'of air or for regulatin it as desired. y Y

' e chamber 130 communicates withv the interior ofthe ejector nozzle 124, whereby air may be supplied into the stream of liquid iowing through the Venturi fitting 126. The liquid enters a mixing chamber 138 as it leaves the Venturi fitting 126 and in passing through the Venturi fitting assumes a tubular formation, the air bein discharged into the center of this tubular ormation.

The air and liquid is then thoroughly mixed in the mixlngv chamber 138 and is forcibly discharged through the Venturi discharge end 122 in the form of a line mist.

I Practical operation vIn the operation ofmy device, the tank 10 is filled with a liquid soap or other desirable f A faucet for controlling the supplyof wa? ter through the hose 104 and into the compartment 100 is turned on. A .j

The valve needle 80 is manipulated for discharging the proper amount of liquid 22 into the compartment 100, which discharge is caused by the pressure of air in the container The mixing tube 138 of the nozzle A may be screwedinwardly to shut 0E the supply-of liquid, and thevalve 136 may be in closed position.

When itis desired.V to wash an automobile,

the air valve 136 in the'nozzle A may be opened, and the tube 138 may be screwed outwardly, so that the Venturi itting'126 no longer contacts withJ the ejector nozzle 124, whereupon the air vand liquid will be dislcharged from the nozzle A.

AS soon as the liquid starts flowing from l the nozzle, the pressure of air inthe container 10 .will supply additionahsoap to the of soap, prior to allowing the liquidto be discharged from the nozzle A, is prevented by the check valve 112, which preventsthe soap from flowing into the water hose 104, even .though the pressure thereon is greaterv than the Water pressure.

InI the event that the water pressure'i-s greater than the pressure on the liquid soap,

-the check valve 98 functions to prevent water flowing into the containervlO.

From the description of my invention, it will be apparent, that I have provided a unitary device adapted to have` all connections Y made thereto, and to in turn be connected to the -carvvashing nozzle, whereby the container 10 may, be easily filled and then by merely inserting the cover plate in position n Some changes may be made in the construc- I' tion and arrangement of the various parts of my car washing apparatus, without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intent1on to cover by my claims, any modified forms ofstructure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope. Y

I claim as my invention:

- 1. In a device of the class described, a containerfliquid therein, a cover for said container, said cover being chambered to prdvide a plurality of compartments, means for supplying air under pressure to one of said compartments, a nozzle, a conduit from said compartment to said nozzle for supplying` air under pressure thereto,a reducing valve structure interposed between sald compartment and said conduit, means of communication between saidfcompartment and the interior of said container to exert air pressurev on the surface of said liquid, a pipe leading from another of said compartments to below .the level of saidliquid, a third one of said' compartments being separated from the second mentioned compartment by a wall having an opening therein, check valve means as sociated with said opening and closing toward the second compartment, a fourth one of said compartments beingseparated from the third compartment by a wall having an opening therein, check valve means associated ,with said opening and closing toward usf the fourth compartment, means for supplying water under pressure to said fourth compartment and a conduit from said fourth compartmentY to said nozzle for supplying liquid from the container and water under pressure thereto. l A

2. In a d vice of the class described, acon-y tainerfliquid therein, a cover for said con tainer, said cover being chambered to provide a plurality of compartments, means fo`r`\ supplying air under pressure lto one of. said compartments,- a nozzle, a conduit from said compartment to said nozzle for supplying air under pressure thereto, a reducin valve i, 5 structure interposed between said c amber Aand said conduit, means of communication between said compartment and the interior of v said container to exert air pressure on the surface of said liquid, a pipe leading from another of said compartments to below the level of said liquid, said second compartment having a partition therein, an opening thrusaid partitlon, a valve seat around the opening, a valve coacting with the openin and including a stem extending outsidesaid cover, said rated from the third'compartment by a wall having an opening therein, check valve means associated with said opening and closing toward the fourth compartment, means for supv plying water under pressure to said fourth compartment and a conduit from said yfourth compartment to said nozzle for supplying liquid from the container and water under pressure thereto. i 3. In a device of the class described, acontainer, liquid therein, the top of saidconn tainer being chambered toprovide a plurality of compartments, means for-supplying air under pressure to one o`fsaid compartments, a nozzle, a conduit from said compartment to said nozzle for supplying air under pressure thereto, means of communication between said compartment and the interior of said container to exert air pressure on the surface of said liquid, a pipe leading from another of said compartments to below the level of said liquid, a third one of said compartments being separatedfrom the second mentioned compartment by apwall having an opening therein, check valve means associated with said openingfand closing toward the second compartment, a fourth one of said compartments being separated from the thirdb compartment by a wall having an o eningtherein, check valve meansassociate with said opening and closing toward the fourth compartment, means for supplying water under pressure to said fourth'compartme'nt and C a conduit from said fourth compartment to said nozzle for supplying liquid from the con- 5 tainer -and water under pressure thereto.

4. In a device of the class described, a container, liquid therein, a chambered cover for said container having a plurality of compa-rt-v ments, two of said compartments communieating thru check valves with the third one in a direction from the two lcompartments to-v wards the third one, a pi e from one of said two com artments exten ng below the level of said llquid, means for supplying pressure 'to the surface of the liquid to force it thru said pipe, means for sup lying water underl 

